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Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Living Church of God: Rod Meredith's Fireside Chat...What Were They Thinking?????

Living Church of God posted a short little video of Rod Meredith delivering a shot clip as a foretaste of his Christmas Eve publicized sermon. As you can see above Meredith is in a rather disheveled state.

Can you imagine Mr. Armstrong or Mr. Apartian allowing themselves to be filmed in such a disheveled state? It would never happen! Not only does RCM say hello to all of us in "radio land" but being in his pajama's makes him look like a crazy old man.

I could almost understand it if they had him in a suave, neatly pressed smoking jacket like Hugh Hefner but instead he looks like a nursing home patient.

This reeks of sabotage. The underlings and boot lickers should have stopped this but they didn't. Could it be that they WANTED him to look stupid?

How does this look to the other COGs? Does this make people want to join LCG? What was the point? Is the average LCG member embarrassed?

The source is right in that Herbert Armstrong would NEVER have allowed himself to be filmed or photographed in such a disheveled look. HWA was all about appearances and decorum. Someone obviously though this would be a quaint prequel to his sermon. LCG missed the mark with this one BIG time!

We all should realize that if Bob Thiel was still Rod Meredith's personal confidant this would NEVER have happened! Thiel would never have allowed it. This is what happens when Meredith cast Lil'Bob to the curb. Things went downhill rather fast. Disheveled Meredith, crooked bookcases and pathetic thin curtains with sunlight streaming through them.

I couldn't agree more. Herbert W. Armstrong would NEVER have allowed himself to be filmed or photographed in such a disheveled look or manner. NEVER! What were these idiots thinking? Did Meredith know how bad he looked?

He's still recognizable, but what a change! Voice is still pretty much the same, but he shows age and more age. Kinda natural. We all of that era do. I listened to it a couple of times, just to drive home how thankful I am to be completely out of that theological mess.

Talking of Hugh Hefner, has anyone told him how ridiculous he looks in his old age. For the past decade, he looked like he was struggling to just walk, yet he womanised with women young enough to be his great grand daughters. Or is that great great great grand daughters. There's a time to retire. To me, his 'lifestyle' in his old age looks pathetic.

What a bunch of self righteous knit pickers, Merideth looks relaxed in his own home making a comment big deal, and those who at one moment who tend to say things against HWA are now setting him up as the perfect example as how to dress as if he is the one to follow. Looks like everything is fine with those who took the time to comment after what he said on face book, not a word of how he appeared, obviously to them it was no big deal, and as far as the negative comments of his age, whats that all about, he shows age someone said, really, it couldn't be because he has aged and is getting rather old could it, but for his age he still looks good and still has a drive, desire and energy that many his age and younger would love to have, find something meaningful to knit pick about, how childish.

This is Rod. Hi all. I'm dressed this way to let you know that I'II shortly be joining George Michael and Carrie Fisher. Of course I'II be going to heaven, while these two will be going to hell. Deserves them right, all that booze, drugs and sex. They should have listened to my sermons on TV. But brace yourselves for my departure. Happy pagan holidays. Bye everyone.

I would guess that someone involved told Spanky that the tone of the clip would be more sedate and therefore he should appear relaxed and non-threatening. Probably an attempt to reach out to the poor untouchables of LCG.

I'd offer them my (legitimate) director services, but I doubt I could stand being around a bunch of uptight mucketymucks to carry it out. :)

Is this the type of image that will attract young people and young families to the LCG? An old man in his pajamas sitting in his easy chair looking tired and worn-out. That image kind of sums-up the state of the Armstrongite religion, old, tired and worn-out.

For all the holier-than-thou self-righteous prigs in LCG, notice that in the video RCM himself calls his event the "Winter Weekend." Despite all the trouble that some others went to to label it the "Family Weekend" RCM tells the plain truth of what the weekend celebrates: Winter, not Family. In LCG, there is only one family that is celebrated: the Meredith Family.

Very amateurish indeed, especially as he had to be coached as to when to begin speaking. Nobody bothered to edit out the cameraman's prompt "GO" at the beginning, and even then RCM hesitated before uttering his "radio land" greetings.

He's 86 years old and still suffering from the effects of a stroke several years back. Give the dude a break when it comes to his mechanics in speaking. He can barely walk as well. And he wasn't "in his pajamas". Rather, he was wearing dress pants, dress shirt, dress shoes with a robe over him. Not a big deal folks.

I think we all should show some humility here. Now some may say that he doesn't deserve it, but that is not the point. We show our love and self respect in how we treat others, even though they didn't always show it towards others.

12:15 PM tells us "Not a big deal folks." Being scrutinized comes with the territory. It comes with all the fame, money, power, perks etc. Rod should respect this by not putting out a Mickey Mouse video that competes with Bobs equally crappy video, crooked bookshelf and cheap curtains and all.

You mentioned that none of the comments on LCG's Facebook page were bad.

That's because LCGers have learned what will happen to them if they dare express any opinion other than rainbows and lollipops.

They aren't stupid enough to say what they really think which would likely bring down hell fire from Charlotte in the form of some overly harsh punishment based on a knee-jerk reaction from the likes of Rod McNair followed by potential loss of reputation when LCG leaderships embraces their bully pulpit to annihilate reputations.

People in LCG have learned to sit down, shut up (unless they are praising the almighty LCG leadership) and send in their tithes.

How else can they ensure that they will be selected to be pillars in the Kingdom of God???

Me thinks that RCM deliberately contrived the entire video. It is a propaganda piece and a tad bit of "fake news".

The bathrobe over his normal clothes and the "radio land" comment all contrived to make it look like "Im retired now and its time for you to follow the new leadership that I have named". The bottom line is , who controls the churches assets and income streams, and who will do so after RCM dies. This is where the real power will lie.

RSK 7:37...Just what we need, another self righteous Grammer cop who has nothing to say except to judge and criticize the Grammer errors of others because he is so perfect, he never makes an error himself so he has every right to set himself up as the judge of what is right and what is wrong in how things are put down, never having to learn himself but always knew everything in Grammer right from the start.

In COG Critique, Wedgie is also a term describing a usually minor doctrinal point that is significantly different from orthodox Christianity. It's etymology is traced to a statement made by Ron Dart about HWA's use of "wedge issues" and how they are used to "wedge" a person from their mainstream church. Can give the same effect to one as in your definition.

This is Rod again. All this bitching about this poor quality video. I'II tell you why. I sent my members a letter telling them to send in their "excess" wealth such as a second home, unnecessary retirement funds, unused monies in bank account's etc. But nooooo, they ignored me. The result is this financially challenged video. Do you hear, church miser's? You are responsible for this el cheapo presentation. Herb would not approve.So send in more monies, and reconsider sending in your excess wealth. I'II gladly spend it for you. Bye again.

You people that are slandering LCG are blind and have lost understanding.

It is LCG cheerleaders who are blind to their leader's support of rapists and adulterers and liars and sorcerers, simply because they are "loyal" to him and to his family. When RCM removes from his payroll the pathological liars, serial rapists, adulterers and sorcerers, we will know that he just might be sincere and used of God. Until then, he is Al Capone with a Bible.

Perhaps RCM was trying for the 'Hugh Hefner look', in which he nearly makes it, but...

Next time we suggest that the digs be a bit more decadent and it wouldn't hurt to have some semi-naked nubile beautiful maidens hovering about (and maybe for that other crowd in the LCG, some handsome lads as well). This would help his image immensely.

We also suggest that he take to heart the defining quote from Hugh Hefner:

"The major civilizing force in the world is not religion, it is sex."

And if he uses that as his central defining core, the LCG could prosper in surprising ways....

Typically LCG quality material. One would think their media productions were run by grade school students. With all the equipment they pull out for their presentations (they sure like to show off their stuff in the "behind the scenes photos") one would think they could produce something of high quality. Instead it all seems to fall flat. Weird flying camera angles, poor shot selections, poor audio. I'm sure LCG members love it though. They've been served up this type of stuff for years. They are used to it.

RCM looks bad. They had a photo of him being propped up by LU students earlier in the year and now this. So yeah, what were they thinking??

One would think their media productions were run by grade school students. With all the equipment they pull out for their presentations (they sure like to show off their stuff in the "behind the scenes photos") one would think they could produce something of high quality.

The "behind the scenes" video was probably shot by Rod's son David, who is in charge of LCG's social media efforts (despite there being dozens of people in LCG more qualified for that job). That is, when he isn't getting women pregnant before marriage or getting drunk in public or smoking cigarettes (marijuana or tobacco depending on mood). It's a safe bet David was not sober when he shot and posted that video. But don't you dare question this or Rod will tell his nephew Rod McNair to ruin you.

LCG politics is a lot like American politics. There's the Stupid party and the Evil party, each competing for Rod's favor. There are a few innocent "true believers" who are waiting for God to intervene and "clean up" LCG... much as there are still people in GCI waiting for God to intervene and "clean up" the church. The longer they wait, the more they are infected by the stupid and the evil around them, until they no longer remember what it was like having a clean conscience and being able to speak freely from the heart without fear of persecution from their own church.

I think Rod Meredith is just really old. He looks really old and sounds really old. For some reason he got a long life while his wives and many of his associates did not. Its a shame he can't just give it all up. But there is a saying about old age, "better to be obsessed in old age, than to be empty". Rod is definitely one of the obsessed. I doubt if he could even be punished for what he says and does when the brain atrophies and becomes inflexible, really he just needs to be led out to pasture.

I suppose the operative question is when the "veil" of Spanky's robes are torn, who will appear in the next layer?

As Gavin wrote,============================="...the man who was once Herbert Armstrong's top lieutenant has relentlessly stayed "on message." Meredith's continued presence has served to keep the "old paths" weeded. He has been the "gold standard" in traditional Armstrongism, the unacknowledged reference point for other splinter groups. Competing iterations of Armstrongism have tended to define themselves, even if unconsciously, against the Meredith model.

When he is gone the game changes, and the broad doctrinal consensus that has till now reached across most of the varied sects of Armstrongism, the "Worldwide family", will likely buckle.

As for the Living Church of God, who is there in that body that could possibly replace him? No one waiting in the wings seems to have either his unquenchable drive or his overbearing ego. Certainly not Richard Ames. Meredith is irreplaceable.

This will force change, at the very least in style, and almost certainly in organisation. With the throne vacant LCG will, one suspects, quite quickly find it necessary to adopt a more collegial structure. That will be problematic given the constant emphasis placed by Rod himself on top down authority and "the government of God."

It's got to be a recipe for division. Despite the travail of recent years it might yet be the United Church of God, or perhaps the departed COGWA malcontents, which will be best placed to scavenge the benefits. The departure of Bob Thiel throws another factor into the equation. As a shaper of opinion while within LCG, Bob was in a unique position to influence the transition by throwing his weight behind one of the emerging factions as he did in the Global Church of God crisis. But Bob has lost that ability now he has effectively sidelined himself as a bit player on the farthest fringes.

There are a few innocent "true believers" who are waiting for God to intervene and "clean up" LCG... much as there are still people in GCI waiting for God to intervene and "clean up" the church. The longer they wait, the more they are infected by the stupid and the evil around them, until they no longer remember what it was like having a clean conscience and being able to speak freely from the heart without fear of persecution from their own church.

It's truly sad if "true believers" are hold-out in a bad church, hoping God will eventually come around and "clean it up"

What happens more often is that "once-true believers have been slapped upside the head by reality", and yet are hold-out in a bad church, and their friends still attend there so they still do also stay there [religious change is a bitch], and comfortably twist things in their mind a bit to make it into a Godly thing to stay with that church and with their friends.When it comes to people enduring cultish churches, that's a VERY common dynamic!

I knew of people circa 1996 sitting in WCG services waiting for God to show up and smite all the evil changemakers. I guess it was the hope that they could get back to feeling group-righteous again. But if there's still people in GCI doing that in 2017... wow.

Kinda like a dry drunk who tortures himself going to drinking parties, heh.

There are always going to be people who retain and promote their different pet elements of Armstrongism. Nobody likes to admit that the large chunks of their lives which they committed and invested were a complete waste, except for lessons learned about never being scammed again. Eventually, all elements of a shipwreck are claimed by the sea.